The Book Depository expands in Australia

Amazon-owned online retailer the Book Depository is to expand in Australia, adding more than 25,000 titles to its offer.

The expanded inventory will include Australian classics, contemporary novels, food and celebrity books and a range of educational titles and intends to "help bring a range of Aussie authors to the attention of a global market", Power Retail has reported.

The company said it will ship books from Australia using the third-party logistics company DAI Post in Melbourne to pack and send orders.

Australians have been able to purchase books from the Book Depository since the site launched in 2004, but this is the first time the retailer has focused specifically on the Australian market, group marketing director of Book Depository, Chris Mckee, said.

He said: “Previously, we’ve had titles from Australian authors once they become available internationally and what we’re going to have now are titles from Australian authors that become available when they are available in Australia.

“We think that’s great for many reasons. One is we’ve got customers in 116 countries around the world and we’re excited to bring those Australian books to them much earlier than what they’d otherwise be available in the international market. And there’d be a whole body of up and coming authors we’re hopefully going to create new opportunities for. We see this as a win-win.”

McKee told Australian business news website Smart Company that the Book Depository has signed deals with “dozens” of publishers in order to boost its Australian titles but did not name the publishers involved.

However, a statement released by the company today referenced titles published by Allen & Unwin and Hinkler Books and included comments from Natasha Besliev, chief executive of Bonnier Publishing’s Australian operations.